The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened to embark on an indefinite strike soon if the Federal Government failed to implement the agreement they reached in 2009 within the shortest possible time.
The lecturers’ union spoke at press conferences held at various zonal levels across the country, yesterday.
Briefing newsmen at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, coordinator of Owerri zone, Uzo Onyebinama, said it was deeply saddened that the Federal Government failed to honour the agreement which it entered into without coercion.
In attendance were Okey Aniebo, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam; Steve Ufoaroh (UNIZIK); Chike Ugwuene, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike; Augustine Ejiogu, Imo State University in Owerri; Christopher Echerobia, Federal University of Technology Owerri, and the immediate past chairperson in UNIZIK, Dennis Aribodor.
The ASUU leaders claimed government spurned the magnanimity the union extended to it through the signing of various memorandums of understanding (MoU) and memorandums of action (MoA).
“As we speak, the Federal Government is still in arrears of major components of the 2009 FG/ASUU agreement that includes funding for the revitalisation of the publication universities, earned academic allowances and the renegotiation of the 2009 FG/ASUU agreement.
“The situation has been compounded by the introduction of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) and the attendant consequences of the mutilated salaries, promotion arrears and the non-resolution of the more favoured University Transparency and Accountability Solution.
“We once again alert Nigerians that unless the government strives to sincerely resolve these issues, there will be no rest for us all. There will be no more MOUs or MOAs.
“When the macabre dance begins, there will be no stopping it until everything is fully implemented. The insincerity of the Federal Government is not just beyond understanding, it is beyond tolerance,” ASUU said.
The Benin zone clarified that strikes were a last resort to draw government attention to their plights and not intended to derail academic activities.
The Benin Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Fred Esumeh, described members renumeration as slave wage and demanded a new benchmark for condition of service, stressing that “the Nigerian universities are no longer attractive to foreign lecturers, including neighbouring countries.
“This is due to the prevailing slave wage where the highest ranked professor earns less than a thousand dollars monthly,” he said.
The Akure Zonal Coordinator, Olufayo Olu-Olu, who presides over Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife; Federal University of Technology, Akure and Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, said the Federal government has been insincere and deceptive, by reneging on the MoA signed with ASUU on December 23, 2020.
Calling for swift interventions of the students’ body, parents, traditional rulers, and other stakeholders in education sector, he added that the strike would be long and total until all issues raised are addressed.
“It is rather unfortunate that government has to stretch ASUU beyond its elastic limit on this. To accept negotiation on every issue and for the agreement to be reached, strike must be embarked upon. The implementation of such agreement be it MoA or MoU would only see the light of the day after series of action,” he said. – The Sun.
